Animals escape barn fire that causes $350K in damage

Montrose fire is 2nd blaze possibly linked to thawing frozen pipes

After a Tuesday morning fire in the Town of Montrose, a barn and three sheds (two attached and one detached) used to store milking equipment are total losses according to the Dane County Sheriff’s report.

No one was injured in the blaze that was reported just before 10 a.m., and no livestock were in the barn at the time of the fire, Dane County Sheriff’s Spokeswoman Elise Schaffer said.

Officials also said the road was shut down for several hours, but deputies expected it to be open by about 2 p.m.

The total loss is valued at approximately $350,000, Schaffer said.

The official cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but Schaffer said before the blaze began, the property owner was working to thaw frozen pipes.

Schaffer said the sheriff’s department is reminding citizens to use caution when thawing frozen pipes. The department suggested instead of using an open flame, home owners can use heat tape, hot water or a hair dryer. Schaffer said alternative methods may take longer, but they are far less dangerous.